Amazon announced plans to stop its Blue Jay robotics initiative. The major announcement follows only a few months after introducing the tech last October for implementation into its same-day delivery centers. Blue Jay is a multi-armed robot that picks apart packages. It continues to be a significant role as Amazon works to accelerate the expansion of its internal robotics program, which has been developed since Amazon’s 2012 acquisition of Kiva Systems.
Vulcan, another innovative robot conceived by Amazon, has become the most visible and influential player within this effort. Not only does this two-armed robot have an impressive sense of touch, it can “feel” what it touches. Vulcan is trained on data collected from real-world human interactions. It can quickly recalibrate to stack and transport various products using its first articulated arm, and its second arm is armed with a suction cup camera rig for product grabs.
The decision to stop Blue Jay is made public as Amazon makes moves to further bolster its robotics proficiency. The company continues to brag about the hundreds of thousands of these robots now in its warehouses, claiming to have passed the 1 million robot mark last July. The quick turn-around of Vulcan, an estimated time of one year for development, shows how serious Amazon is about making their operations more efficient.
Terrance Clark, an Amazon spokesperson, highlighted the company’s continued willingness to experiment with new technologies. He stated,
“We’re always experimenting with new ways to improve the customer experience and make work safer, more efficient, and more engaging for our employees.”
The technology that lies at the heart of the Blue Jay project won’t go to waste. Clark made it clear that the lessons learned in creating Blue Jay will be a continuing benefit for Amazon’s employees. He added,
“In this case, we’re actually accelerating the use of the underlying technology developed for Blue Jay, and nearly all of the technologies are being carried over and will continue to support employees across our network.”
Although the Blue Jay project has come to an end, it hasn’t stopped Amazon’s appetite for investment into robotics. The foundation laid by Kiva Systems’ warehouse automation technology has been instrumental in shaping the company’s fulfillment operations.